Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-08-18
PART u.-CHAPTER VII.
THE EBB OF HOPE.

PART H.-CHAPTER VII
THE EBB OF HOPE.
While this turmoil of strife and
slaughter had been raging, the arch
plotter of the mutiny was safely hid
den down in the hold among the casks
and bales. Deliberately calculating on
the sure result of plumber and drink on
the unbridled passions of the crew, and
fearing lest the blind rage of some of
them might be turned against himself.
he kept hidden until all was quiet
again. Then he cautiously assembled
to the deck, and made his way for
ward.
The body of the mulatto lay sprawled
out by the matches. That of Purvis
lay near it. He stepped over them and
passed on. Near the stern he paused
and looked for moment at the ghast-
ly scene there disclosed. Captain
Willis and the mate lay on their backs,
their dead faces turned up to the sky;
Crawford lay upon his breast, his face
resting on his folded arms.
Hunter descended the cabin-stairs.
One of the bodies had fallen against
the door. and continued pushing with
his shoulders was necessary to open it.
Inside, the horrid scene disclosed by
the light of the moon, from which most
men would have fled in alright, seemed
to make hardly an impression upon
him.
He had come for the small part of
the Captains gold that was there. He
would have it, though every coin was
wet with blood!
What was hep it might here be asked.
A very fiend in human form-a man
only in shape?
We can only say that nature does
sometimes make such men as Louis
Hunter. The depravity of persons
ancestors for generations past does at
times seem to have descended to one
common heir. The lust of gold that
had been kindled in this mans heart,
the mad fires of revenge upon a sue
cessful rival in love, had stimulated
him to the engineering of the atrocious
deeds that we have recorded; nor was
his hellish record yet complete.
Inside the cabin, he stepped briskly
about it, scooping up the scattered gold
and putting it into the canvas sacks.
In his careful search for the coins he
moved aside the bodies, and one of the
wounded men, feeling his hands, re-
vived little. and piteously begged for
water. His fingers clutched a gold
coin. Hunter tore it from him, but
paid not the least attention to his
means. In his cropping over the floor
for the gold pieces, his hands became
wet with blood, which he cody wiped
off on the clothing of one of the pros
trate bodies. AT last the bags were
filled again. He carefully tied up their
mouths, and re-ascended to the deck,
carrying one under each arm.
He paused a moment, looked at the
three bodies lying near the wheel, and
started forward. A thought struck
him; he paused, and slowly returned.
Taking hold of the body of Henry
Crawford by the shoulders, he rolled
it over upon the back.
A deep groan startled him. He fell
back in kind of panic.
Tho groan was repeated.
"Ah-you're not dead, my fine fell
low!' he soliloquized. you might as
well be-"
STOPPING down he opened the
wounded mans vest. He saw that the
coagulation of blood had stopped the
flow from the knife wounds.
But l hardly think you'll recover,
my friendr' he remarked, with
satanic smile.
He thrust his hand into the inside
vest-pocket, and drew forth the pict-
ure. He opened the case, and gazed
at the smiling features. The madness
of rage possessed him; he threw it
down, stamped on it and ground it to
powder beneath his heel.
Crawford opened his eyes.
Water he feebly gasped.
Louis Hunter regarded him for a
moment, then went forward, and soon
returned with a pannikin of water.
Raising the wounded mans head, he
placed it to his lips. The long draught
revived him; he partially raised him.
self upon his arm.
Is IL you! he aSkeu, as he saw
Hunter standing by him. 81 did not
expect this from you. Thank you.
Perhaps 1 have wronged you in my
thoughts"
MAY be you'll be so good as to tell
me what you have thought" said
Hunter, with his habitual sheer.
81 thought you were linked with the
mutineers, and worse than they. If l
was wrong, pardon me-"
''Well, sir, since you want to know
how it was, you shall. 1t was l who
contrived the whole business. Those
crazy fellows who have been killing
each other down below since they paid
their respects to You and your friends
they had the heart for mutiny and
murder, but they needed a head. l
became the head. l plotted every
thing, as well as helped them execute
And we're quite successful. asyou see."
Crawford, faint and wounded as he
was, seemed to be struck as never be-
fore with the extent of the mans de-
pravity. He looked at him with hor-
ror and loathing.
[TO BE CONTINUED
in Mexico some of the doctors